A new force in Indonesian education<\/p>\n
Raden Dunbar
\nChairman
\nAssociation of
\nNational Plus Schools
\nJakarta
\nraden@citabuana-jkt.sch.id.<\/p>\n
It is now just over 10 years since the first "National Plus"
\n(NP) private school was established in Indonesia. Over the
\nsubsequent decade many more of these schools have opened as the
\npopularity of bilingual education has increased.<\/p>\n
The National Plus network is very small -- presently about 60
\nto 70 schools and 10,000 students -- compared with the vast
\nmainstream national system of 2.5 million schools and 60 million
\nstudents.<\/p>\n
However, because of their bilingualism and international
\norientation, NP schools are beginning to exert influence on
\nIndonesian education: They are proving that given the right
\nconditions, Indonesian schools can successfully adopt and adapt
\ninternational educational techniques, and achieve international
\neducation standards.<\/p>\n
As private schools registered and accredited with the Ministry
\nof National Education, NP schools conform to the same rules
\ngoverning all schools, offer government-issue subjects in Bahasa
\nIndonesia, and submit to occasional inspection by ministry
\nofficials.<\/p>\n
The "Plus" in "National Plus" derives from additional
\nprovision of an international curriculum, usually taught in
\nEnglish, sometimes separated from the Indonesian curriculum and
\nsometimes conjoined.<\/p>\n
Most schools develop their international curriculum using
\npublic domain frameworks and materials obtained from education
\nproviders in English-speaking countries. Although not all schools
\nregister their international curriculums, senior high school
\ncourses must always be fully accredited by an overseas authority
\nto give validity to the tertiary matriculation certificates
\nissued.<\/p>\n
The Association of National Plus Schools (ANPS) has developed
\na set of seven characteristics defining the expected educational
\nattributes of member schools. Taken together these describe what
\nis meant to have been developed in every NP school:<\/p>\n
o A set of clear policies that has been developed, documented,
\npublished, and implemented by the school;<\/p>\n
o Knowledge of and respect for Indonesian cultural values,
\ndiversity, and the natural environment;<\/p>\n
o Education of students in the use of both Indonesian and
\nEnglish;<\/p>\n
o A commitment to plan and implement ongoing staff
\nprofessional development;<\/p>\n
o Development and use of national and international learning
\noutcomes in the curriculum framework;<\/p>\n
o Educational programs, teaching methodologies and a range of
\nassessment practices support student-centered learning;<\/p>\n
o An appropriate range of resources and facilities provided to
\nachieve described learning outcomes.<\/p>\n
Most teachers in NP schools are Indonesians possessing three
\nprofessional attributes: Fluency in English, appropriate
\nqualifications and demonstrated teaching ability. Many have
\nuniversity degrees earned in English-speaking countries. Some
\nhave lived overseas and become "bridges to other cultures".<\/p>\n
Indonesian teachers form the core of the permanent teaching
\nforce in NP schools, but are usually supplemented by a smaller
\nnumber of expatriate teachers fulfilling native English-speaker
\nroles, or teaching or skilling in specialized areas.<\/p>\n
Each day Indonesians in NP schools teach children using a
\nlanguage which is not their own, and teaching materials and
\nmethods imported from other cultures. Many perform brilliantly,
\nproving that Indonesian teachers can be of world class standard.<\/p>\n
Although some NP schools have not yet submitted to
\ninternational assessment at all, many are increasingly
\ndiscovering the need to prove that they are of verified
\ninternational standard. At least one school will soon attempt to
\nobtain an International Standards Organization certification.
\nOthers must routinely comply with accreditation standards of the
\nInternational Baccalaureate Organization, or Cambridge GCE\/IGCSE,
\nor Australian state Boards of Education Studies, or other
\naccreditors.<\/p>\n
One accurate way to determine educational outcomes in schools
\nis to invite external assessment of student performance. The
\nAustralian Council for Education Research (ACER) has developed a
\nmethod for assessing the educational performance of
\ninternationally-oriented schools by testing students in the areas
\nof English language and mathematical literacy.<\/p>\n
The first ACER International Schools Assessment (ISA) was
\nconducted worldwide in October 2002 with 4 Indonesian NP schools
\nparticipating. The ISA tested students in grades 3, 5, 7, and 10,
\nand provided a very clear and detailed indication of true
\nstandards.<\/p>\n
To reform its huge system of schools, the Ministry of National
\nEducation is devolving authority and responsibility for education
\nto district and school levels. This has involved introducing
\ncommunity participation into education governance; school-based
\nmanagement, and school-based curriculum development. These are
\nall well-established features of NP schools.<\/p>\n
Senior education officials at national and provincial levels
\nrecognize that leading NP schools are valuable models to emulate.
\nA senior official recently commented that NP schools were
\n"setting the pace" in Indonesian schooling. There is talk of
\noffering international, bilingual curriculums at handpicked
\nnational schools.<\/p>\n
The number of National Plus schools continues to increase.
\nHowever the challenges are many and varied. They include
\nmisunderstanding about profitability versus social purpose. Can
\nschools ever be profitable businesses?<\/p>\n
Also, the use of the title "National Plus" by schools where
\nquality standards may fall far short of expectations.<\/p>\n
Further, use by some schools of home made "international"
\n"English language" curriculums, which are never inspected or
\nvalidated by an external appraiser.<\/p>\n
There is also a government policy vacuum: Presently there are
\nno rules to assist with development and recognition of the
\nNational Plus concept.<\/p>\n
Given these challenges the Association of National Plus
\nSchools attempts to encourage high educational standards among
\nits members.<\/p>\n
Notwithstanding these bumps in the path of progress, the
\nfuture of these complicated and unique schools seems to be
\nbright. More and more parents seem to be prepared to make the
\nfinancial sacrifices necessary to enroll their children,
\nrecognizing that a bilingual, internationally-recognized and
\naccredited private education will provide far more choices and
\nopportunities in the fiercely competitive world of the future.<\/p>\n
The writer is also Principal Counterpart of Sekolah Cita
\nBuana. The above views do not necessarily reflect those of Cita
\nBuana or the Association of National Plus Schools.<\/p>",
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